Authoritarianism and Data: Controlling, Suppressing and Weaponizing a Public Resource

Data can be a powerful force for the public good, enabling evidence-based policymaking, advancing equity, strengthening accountability, and empowering communities. The same data can also be used to surveil, censor, manipulate, and exclude. This session will explore how data can shift from a public resource to an instrument of political control, what that means for democratic values and human rights, and how researchers, policymakers, governments, and social justice advocates can safeguard data integrity, public trust, and equitable access.